Love, Leslie
by Openminded101
Summary: Jess gets a letter that will change his life forever
1. The Letter

**A/N: I do not own Bridge to Terabithia or any of it's characters.**

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Jesse stepped solemnly off the bus. The last three months had been miserable without _her_. He couldn't even think her name let alone speak it. He hadn't even gone to Terabithia, his place of comfort and consolation. His family was different too, they didn't argue as much, his father was less harsh on him and his mother didn't tell him every 20 minutes to do his chores. It was as if when she died, she took the happiness away from all of them, but then again, they weren't her best friend.

Jess made his way upstairs to do his homework. As he passed Brenda's room, she stuck her tongue out at him, he replied with a glare. He pulled out his math and began working. Lately Monster-mouth Myers hadn't issued much work, he wondered if it was because of Leslie. Leslie, that was the first time he had thought of her since she died. The memories of their time together flooded back into his mind. His face burned hot with anger, or was it sorrow? He couldn't tell. Tears rolled down his face as he tried to bring his concentration back to his work, he couldn't get himself to do it.

He remembered the day the rope broke, when she fell in. He took off down the stream to catch her. _C'mon Jess you have to get her! _He thought as he jumped into the water and pulled her sopping wet body out of the water. Jess had no sooner picked her up when an EMT took her to perform CPR. He watched them disappear into the distance. Jess finished his last problem and put on his shoes.

He flew down the small wooded trail, past the rusted car, to the tree house where they took refuge. Then he dropped to his knees, crying as he said to the trees, "_Please, Leslie come back. Please. I miss you, I miss you so much." _He laid down on the forest floor and cried himself to sleep.

Jesse awoke on his bed, which surprised him. He didn't remember how he got back into his room. He trudged downstairs to get something to eat. "Mom, Dad, May Belle? Anybody?" No one answered. He stepped into the kitchen and found a note on the table. _Jess _was written on it in an eerily familiar handwriting. He opened it, the note read: _Hi, Jess how are things going? Been to Terabithia lately? _His face went pale. _I have, it's quiet without you. It feels empty without you. It's not a kingdom without a king. I want you to come meet me in the tree house at 5:00, ok?_

_Love, _

_Leslie_


	2. I love you, Leslie

Jess nearly fainted at the words, _Love, Leslie_. It couldn't be true, someone was playing a cruel trick on him, he knew it. He looked at his watch, it was 4:45. He contemplated on whether he should go to the tree house or not. He made up his mind, put on his shoes and sped off towards Terabithia.

He slowed at the sight of the tree house. Did he want to go up there? Was it really her? He was sure now it was a trick, if it was her, she would have greeted him by now. As he got to the top of their stronghold, he peeked up, no one was there, Just his drawings and his old shoes and some stale old cookies. He knew it, someone was playing a trick on him. He climbed into the tree house, "I knew it!" he said angrily. "Knew what, Jess?" That voice was familiar, but it wasn't Hoeger. He grew ill as he turned around. She was there, right there in front of him, beaming at him with her beautiful green eyes. She looked beautiful, her hair was longer now, to her shoulders, and wore the same funky style of clothes, but it was her, by God it was her. "Hi." she said with a giggle. His eyes swelled with tears, he began hyperventilating. "Jess? Jess are you ok, what's wrong?" Everything went black and he was out.

Sensing him stirring, Leslie said, "Jess?" He opened his eyes slowly and stared at her wide eyed. "Le- Leslie? How are you-" she cut him off, "Alive? After I hit my head I fell into the water. When you pulled me out, I was unconscious, the EMT performed CPR and got me breathing again. I was in a coma until a week ago." He jumped up and hugged her. "I missed you so much, I thought you were dead!" They hugged in silence for a moment, as they drew back their gazes met for a moment. Jesse averted his eyes and changed the subject. "Why didn't your dad tell me you were alive?" he asked quietly. "He didn't know either, the doctor told him that I had a 20% chance of surviving. I guess I was in that 20%." She said with a smile, trying to calm him. It worked, her smile always did. He wanted desperately to tell her how he felt about her. Since they created Terabithia he knew he loved her.

She loved him too, very much. Their gaze found each other again, but this time they didn't look away. They leaned in closer to one another, their lips got closer together, he could smell her perfume now, it smelled of roses, that's how she should smell. "Jess! We have great news!" They separated quickly. May Belle climbed up the ladder. "Oh, hi, Leslie." She sounded disappointed. "How'd you know we were here?" Leslie asked. "I already checked at the house." she said brightening. May Belle having delivered her message, climbed down the ladder and ran toward the house. Leslie looked at him again and said, "I've gotta go, I have to spend some time with my mom and dad." Jess answered "Ok, I understand." Leslie stood to leave. She started climbing down the ladder. "Leslie?" "**Yeah?**" "I- I love you." Leslie's face turned bright red. "**I love you too Jess.**" He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled her beautiful smile and climbed down. He watched her run through the woods until she was out of sight. He sat back and said "I love you, Leslie Burke."


	3. The perfect day

"Les, Leslie honey, wake up." Bill Burke said as he jerked the blankets off of his sleeping daughter. She groaned as she propped herself up with her elbows. "I know you've been able to sleep in at the hospital but you're home now so, UP! UP! UP!" She slid out of bed and gave her father a "Get Out" look. It took him a few minutes to register, "Oh! Sorry!" he said before turning on his heel and leaving the room. It didn't take her long as she showered and changed into her brightly colored clothes.

When she got downstairs she was surprised to see Jesse, sitting at her kitchen table. "Hey, Jess!" she said, not realizing she was smiling from ear to ear. Jesse pulled the chair out for her as she walked up. "Here you are milady." He said in his most kingly voice. Despite her best efforts to reply, she burst into of a fit of giggles. "Thanks. You know, you've gotten better at that." She said after wiping the tears from her eyes. "I've practiced." They shared a glance and went back to eating. "Leslie, I've gotta surprise for you when you get done." She finished of the rest of her pancakes and stood to leave.

"C'mon, this way." he said as he led her outside to a silver jeep that she only vaguely recognized. "I'm gonna do what I should've done three month ago." The person inside rolled down the window, "Would you like to join us Leslie?" Miss Edmunds said, hardly containing her joy at the sight of seeing Leslie again. "Miss Edmunds!" Leslie shouted with excitement. Hugs were exchanged as they entered the vehicle.

"Where are we going?" Leslie asked finally. "We're going to the museum." Miss Edmunds said. "Jess and I went there the day you--" she paused. "It's okay Miss Edmunds, I know." Miss Edmunds was quiet for a moment before changing the subject, "Well, we should get going." she started the vehicle and drove down the dirt road towards Washington D.C. "What kind of stuff is there?" Leslie asked, breaking the tension. "There's lots of nice paintings there. Maybe you can get some ideas for your stories. And there's another surprise for you there." Leslie nearly jumped out of her skin, the boy she loved since that day in the rain, had surprises for her.

When they were in the parking lot, Jess grabbed her hand and led her forward. She wasn't aware of anything but the warmth of her hand in his. She only occasionally glanced at the pieces of art, but when he stopped reality flooded back. "Leslie look who it is." She looked at the old painting and saw a young woman in a Victorian era dress holding a dog that looked just like P.T. "Wow!" she said in awe. "Do you like it?" He asked expectantly. "I love it!" She hugged him warmly for a long moment. "Thank you, Jess. You didn't have to do this." She said releasing him. "Yeah I did Les." He said holding tighter onto her hand. "I should've done it a long time ago." She leaned in, kissing him quickly on the lips before Miss Edmunds could see. "Are you guys almost ready?" Miss Edmunds asked turning around. "We are now." Leslie said with a smile.

_Later that evening --- Burke residence_

"So, did you like the museum?" Jess asked, sipping a soda. "I loved it, I couldn't have asked for a better place to go." She replied sleepily. "Are you tired?" He asked. She didn't answer. He heard soft snores coming from behind her golden locks. "Guess so." He said before drifting to sleep beside his queen.


End file.
